


Teams, PTA Meetings, and Truth or Dare

by kryptonianmenace



Series: Stephanie Brown, Third Robin [3]
Category: Batgirl (Comics), DCU, DCU (Comics), Robin (Comics), Young Justice (Comics), Young Justice - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-01
Updated: 2020-08-01
Packaged: 2021-03-06 01:15:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 759
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25644898
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kryptonianmenace/pseuds/kryptonianmenace
Summary: Steph reflects on her hero team (and hero friends), and what Robin means to her.An AU where Steph is the third Robin, not Tim.
Series: Stephanie Brown, Third Robin [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1858975
Comments: 6
Kudos: 35





	Teams, PTA Meetings, and Truth or Dare

**Author's Note:**

> AU where the Joker was never in Ethiopia, so Jason was never killed or even injured. As a result, he remained Robin, and Tim remained a civilian. When Jason stepped down from Robin, Steph took over.

“Robin, you are the latest assistant to the Batman, and the  _ only  _ one here to have anything  _ approaching _ a normal childhood. You have a highly developed moral sense, and are the most natural leader. You are…  _ superego.” _

And Steph isn’t sure if that’s an insult from Red Tornado or not, even as she tunes out Superboy complaining that  _ he  _ should be superego because  _ he’s _ Superboy.

But then Red Tornado continues, explaining that he’s grateful because he feels human emotion again - specifically the human emotion of wanting to smack her, Superboy, and Impulse out of annoyance.

Which, knowing the boys, valid. But her? “Rude, but okay.”

Now, don’t get her wrong, she loves working with the boys, but at the same time they’re still teenage boys. And not even fully that - Impulse was artificially aged in virtual reality and is really only like three or something, and Superboy is a clone and really only like four. She was practically their babysitter. She should be getting paid.

But they’ve worked together a few times and she’s starting to understand why Dick loves his teammates so much. Sure, the boys get on her nerves sometimes, but they also laugh at her jokes and listen to her ideas. It sucks being the only girl, but that’s how it is in Gotham, too.

* * *

And then Wonder Girl, Arrowette, and Secret join the team, and the boys are outnumbered.

Steph is  _ thrilled. _ This is her first time being friends with other girls. The girls back home always found her too brash and abrasive, too ready to start a fight.

And maybe she acts a little differently as Robin, at least around the team, a little more in control of herself, a little more level-headed, but she tries to loosen up a little. It’s nice to have friends who understand the vigilante life, who understand the constant fear of danger. She may have to act like the leader, but she can also just let herself be a teenage girl.

A teenage girl who happens to beat up criminals in her spare time. It’s fine.

* * *

The parent teacher meeting - because that’s essentially what it is, Steph insists - is the perfect excuse for a team campout. In the beginning, Steph’s mind is on the meeting. Of course, neither of her actual parents had come - could you imagine? Cluemaster at a meeting for the parents of young heroes? Yeah, no way in hell. And no way was she letting her mom in the know either. No, Nightwing was there to represent her, because Batman was too stubborn to come himself. Only Wonder Girl and Arrowette had an actual parent at the meeting - Superboy had Dubbilex from Cadmus and Impulse had his speedster guardian Max Mercury. Secret didn’t have anyone representing her, unless you counted Red Tornado.

But even though Steph’s mind is on the meeting, that doesn’t mean she doesn’t have fun with her friends. Eventually, she lets herself get distracted and sucked into the game of Truth or Dare.

Tim had warned her that the others might dare her to take off her mask, so when it happens she is prepared.

Off comes the mask, only to reveal a second mask underneath. Tim would be proud of her shenanigans.

The night gets emotional and deep quickly, but she supposes these are her friends.

So when they ask ‘Would she ever give up Robin?’ she genuinely considers the question.

“To be honest?” she says. “I know I should say yes. I know that giving up Robin would mean we live in a world without criminals, that we live in a world where Robin isn’t  _ needed. _ Because that would be the only circumstance that I  _ would  _ quit. Well, quit being a vigilante in general, at least. Quit being Robin in particular? Well, I might one day change my mantle, I have already changed it once, after all. Plus, both the previous Robins have done so, as well. But... At the same time, I’m selfish in that Robin makes me feel needed, makes me feel  _ wanted. _ Robin’s given me a family, given me friends. I don’t  _ want _ to give that up. Yeah, the reasons for Robin, for any hero, really, are horrible - people getting hurt, all the crime… I wish it wasn’t like that and we lived in a better world. But at the same time, Robin’s given me what I never knew I needed. It’s given me a sense of identity. So, ultimately, I guess… I guess my answer is no. I wouldn’t quit the game. How about you guys?”

**Author's Note:**

> [Check out my tumblr!](https://haljordanisbatman.tumblr.com/)


End file.
